Sometimes She Dreams She's the Prettiest One
by Lichfield Girl
Summary: Sara is involved in a serious accident, who will be there for her? FF
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer- I own nothing.

A Sara/Cath friendship story, written from Catherine's POV.

Takes place six months after Goodbye and Good Luck

Needle in the Hay

Sara has been gone exactly six months. In that time the gaping hole in the team that was left following her departure, has slowly started to disappear, and the hurt was starting to heal.

Sure we still miss her. I'm sure people would never believe that I miss her, but I do. I miss my sparring partner, I miss having female company, I even miss the sarcastic comments and that unique Sidle smirk.

But as I said life goes on, and we go on, and apart from very occasional letters and emails from her, our life moves on without Sara- even for Grissom. We all try hard not to mention her, through fear of upsetting Gil... I guess maybe we were all trying to forget.

But then this morning I received a letter from her. Addressed to me, not to all the team, as they usually are. It was a short letter, Sara never was one for the words. She asked after Lindsay, talked a little about life in San Fran, and told me that she missed me, which was sweet, albeit a little surprising.

So I went home after shift tonight, exhausted, but with all intentions of writing back to Sara before going to bed. I put on the T.V, before hunting all over the damn house looking for a pen. I was only distracted from my mission when the news presenter interrupted the weather report, as breaking news flashed across the screen.

_"We are sorry to have to interrupt that bulletin, but we have received news reports from Californian authorities that there has been a serious traffic accident on a highway in San Francisco"_

My attention was focused on the TV.

_"It is reported that over 30 vehicles are involved in the pile up on the Interstate 465 in San Francisco, and unofficial reports suggest that there are already 8 confirmed dead, and countless more seriously injured."_

The camera focused on the carnage on the highway, cars totalled, people being stretchered across the highway and onto waiting ambulances.

And then... Wait.

It couldn't be...

San Fran is a huge place... What are the chances... But there's no mistaking...

Sara.

Bloody and battered as she was, I knew it was her.

EMT's were shouting at the media to get out of the way, as they rushed her onto the back of an ambulance.

It was her.

Oh my God.

Shaking, I reached into my pocket and grabbed my cell.

_"Gil... It's Catherine"_

TBC...


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer, I still own zilch

Sara/Cath story

Time is Running Out

I rushed straight from my house, to the lab, breaking about fifty speeding laws in the process. I didn't even bother to ask Gil if he had left work to go home after shift- the lab is pretty much his home these days.

He was sat in his office when I blitzed in, sat behind his desk, holding his cell.

"I just called her cell again_"_ he said "No answer, it went straight to voicemail."

I nodded; I had done the same thing ever since I had seen that news footage.

"Right, I just spoke to the airline" I said briskly "They can get us on the next flight leaving McCarran for San Francisco, I'll drive you home, get your stuff together, I already packed a bag of my..

"Cath, _Slow down_" he commanded

I stopped to breathe for a moment as he stood up wearily,

"Look Catherine, we... how can you be certain that is was Sara that you saw? San Francisco is a big place, lots of people, some that even look like Sara, remember Debbie Marlin? Let's not... jump to conclusions"

"Gil, I know what I saw, I worked with the woman for ten years, I'd recognize her if she were covered from head to toe in green jello"

"Cath, we don't even know that she is still in San Fran, we haven't heard from her in weeks."

"I got a letter from her this morning, she sent it three days ago" I admitted quietly.

"You did?" he questioned, looking more than a little surprised, "_Why_?"

"Look Grissom we can argue about this on the plane" I said exasperatedly , not wanting to get into the ins and outs of the "Cath hates Sara" myth.

I grabbed his jacket from the back of the door, and picked up his briefcase.

"But what about the lab?" He blurted out "Who's going to supervise if you and I go off on a possibly _pointless _trip to the West Coast, to see Sara, who is more than likely perfectly fine, having not been part of any goddamn highway pile-up"

"_Pointless_!" I gasped "Pointless? I know what I saw Grissom. And even if is just a _possibility_, the very thought that it _could_ be Sara should make your blood run cold. If... if you care more about your _precious fucking lab_ than your girlfriend who could possibly be hurt then... then screw you Grissom."

I couldn't believe this guy, I know she hurt him when she left, but some things are just more damn important than damaged pride.

I turned around and stormed out of the lab, not caring whether he followed or not.

CSICSICSICSICSICSICSICSI

He did follow, and we made it onto the plane just a few hours later. Before boarding we phoned the emergency hotlines set up for the accident, but the lines were constantly busy, and Sara's cell continued to go straight through to voicemail.

The captain just announced that we were starting our descent into San Francisco International.

I looked out of my window onto the city below,

"We're coming Sara, don't worry we're coming" I whispered under my breath.

Sneaking a glance at Grissom sat next to me, looking like he had some place more important to be, I sighed, resuming my window gazing.

"_I'm _coming Sara, just hold on sweetie_, I'm coming soon_."


	3. Chapter 3

According to emergency hotlines most of the casualties had been taken to the UCSF hospital, so we took a cab from the airport straight down there.

We entered the hospital, and judging by the crowded reception, and the harassed looking receptionist being asked a million questions by frantic looking people, it was clear that we were in the right place.

Shoving other people aside, I fought my way over to the reception desk, and finally caught the attention of the woman behind the desk,

"Sara Sidle, we're looking for a Sara Sidle" I begged, almost shouting above the noise in the room.

"Just a minute ma'am" she said, clearly stressed "Will everyone _please _calm down, I can only help you, _if _you all wait your turn for information"

She turned back to me, "Right, 'Sawyer' was it?"

"No, Sidle, Sara Sidle" I repeated.

She quickly typed on her computer, before eventually nodding

"Yes, she has been admitted, about two hours ago. According to this they took her straight to the Operating Room. If you could just wait here, we will be able to give you more news soon."

I didn't even hear the last part of her speech; I had already started running out of the reception, following the signs for the correct floor. I didn't hear the receptionist shouting after me, telling me to wait. I didn't hear the complaints of the other desperate people at reception. I didn't even notice that Gil wasn't with me. It was all about Sara. _Nothing __else __ even__mattered_.

CSICSICSICSICSICSICSICSI

It was still another two hours of anxious waiting until a Doctor came to talk to us, informing us that surgery to stop the horrendous internal bleeding Sara had suffered, had been successful, and that they were just taking her to the Intensive Care Unit.

"What injuries does she have?" I asked softly, worried about the Doctors answer.

I was right to be worried, as the Doctor reeled off a large list of ailments, including severe head trauma, a broken leg and three broken ribs, as well as the internal bleeding that had almost killed her.

The Doctor told us we could see her once they had her settled in, but Gil made his excuses and said that he would go outside and phone Nick, and let him know what was going on. Quickly giving him the evil glare, I followed the Doctor towards Intensive Care.

The room was dark and silent when I walked in, the beeping of machines and the slow rise and fall of the ventilator were the only things that broke the quietness in the room. I walked over to the bed, trying to make myself believe that the broken and battered woman lying on the bed in front of me, was my former colleague...my friend...my Sara.

Taking a seat and clutching her hand, carefully avoiding the I.V drip, I let myself cry for the first time that day.

"Hey beautiful..." I whispered, "Everything will be okay. It will all be okay...I promise"

TBC


	4. Chapter 4

Gil and I sat with Sara for twenty seven long hours.

Twenty seven hours I sat holding her hand, talking to her, begging her to wake up.

Twenty seven hours of bargaining with God, making deals, promising to go to church every goddamn Sunday, if only Sara could open her eyes.

Twenty seven hours of watching Gil sitting there awkwardly, watching him _not_ hold her hand, watching him _not_ beg and plead and fall apart. _How could he not be falling apart?_

Twenty seven hours of looking at her injuries, trying not to cry over the stitches on her forehead, the deep black bruising around her eyes, and the seeming never ending assortment of blood red cuts on her hands on arms, caused by broken glass.

Twenty seven hours of trying not to imagine the injuries she had hidden beneath the starch hospital blankets.

It felt like a lifetime...

CSICSICSICSICSICSICSICSICSICSICSICSI

Gil finally left to go find a hotel room for us, seemingly glad to have an excuse to leave. He said he had some calls to make, and things to sort out. I'm wondering if he plans to let Sara's family know what is going on, surely no-matter what sort of relationship they had, they would want to be here for her. I know families aren't always easy, but sometimes it takes something terrible to happen to bring everyone together.

I'm dragged away from my thoughts by a slight pressure on my hand, and a small whimper.

"Sara" I whisper, gently stroking her hair with my free hand, "It's time to wake up sweetie, it's time to come back now".

I felt her tighten the grip on hours entwined fingers, and her eye lids slowly started to flutter open, her eyes looking dazed and confused, then quickly becoming panicked as she realised she couldn't breathe properly with the tube down her throat.

Pressing the alarm button next to her bed, I tried to reassure her that it was okay, desperate to try and make that look of fear and panic disappear from her normally brave eyes.

A Nurse breezed in, happy that she had awoken and quickly removed the offending tube. After checking her vitals and administering morphine, she left, promising to return with the Doctor as soon as she found him.

"How are you feeling?" I asked her gently, figuring that this was a pretty stupid question, but not knowing what else to say.

For the first time since regaining consciousness she turned her head and looked at me, and then at the empty chair next to me

"Gr... Grissom" she whispered, her voice low and raspy, "He's not.. he- here"

"He just went out an hour or so ago Sar, I'll call him and get him right back"

"But he's not here Cath, he.. he's not here, you are, but.. but he's not"

I could hardly bear to look at the tears rolling down her cheeks, or to see the heartbroken look in her eyes.

So I did simply held her hand a little tighter and cried with her, trying to offer her the comfort that I knew someone else should have been giving.

_How is it the first person that you need__ is always the last person to be there?_

TBC


End file.
